The words ‘distant cutting’ did not occur in any code-book.  Dr. Jameson states that they were words privately agreed upon between him and Dr. Wolff.  The telegram was shown to Dr. Wolff as soon as he could be found, but he declared himself unable to throw any light whatever upon it.  It was however clear from the message that on Saturday afternoon it had been Dr. Jameson’s intention to disregard the wishes of the Committee, and to start on Sunday night, and the telegram impressed the recipients more than ever with the wisdom of their action in sending the messengers to Capetown and to Pitsani to insist upon no further steps being taken.  It is of little consequence what the words ‘distant cutting’ really meant, or whether they were, or should have been, understood by any of the parties.  Major Heany and Captain Holden, it was known, could not have reached Dr. Jameson at the time the message was despatched, and therefore no more importance was attached to this than to the other impatient telegrams.

It was assumed that, on receiving the emphatic messages sent through Major Heany and Captain Holden, Dr. Jameson would realize the seriousness of the position, and would, in fact, abide by the arrangements made with him.  Nor was this all.  It was also clear that the telegram of Mr. Rhodes to which it was inferred reference was made in the concluding words of Messrs. Hamilton’s and Leonard’s wire—­’Jameson has been advised accordingly’—­could not have reached Dr. Jameson at the time his telegram to his brother was despatched.  It was part of the instructions to Messrs. Hamilton and Leonard that any communications which they might desire to make to Dr. Jameson should pass through Mr. Cecil Rhodes in order to ensure due regard being paid to them.  There was therefore no doubt in the minds of the Johannesburg men that during Saturday afternoon—­that is to say, more than twenty-four hours before he proposed moving—­he must have received a wire forbidding him to move.

The facts here given were sufficient to warrant the belief that all that was necessary had been done to prevent any movement.  But more reassuring than all precautions was the conviction that Dr. Jameson, no matter how much he might ‘bluff’ in order to force immediate action, would never be guilty of so gross a breach of faith as to start in defiance of the wishes of the Johannesburg people.  Extreme dissatisfaction of course prevailed in the minds of a good many when they learned of the efforts made by him to force their hands, and this feeling was intensified by the report brought in by Dr. Wolff, who had just returned from seeing Dr. Jameson at Pitsani.  Dr. Wolff had arrived at Pitsani on the previous Tuesday, and was then greeted by Dr. Jameson with the remark that he had ’as nearly as possible started for Pretoria last night.’  It was felt that this might appear to be a very fine and dashing thing for a party of men well armed and trained and able to take care of themselves, but that it betrayed great indifference to his pledges, as well as to the fate of his associates, who as he knew perfectly well had not even the arms to defend themselves from the consequences of any precipitate action on his part, and who had moreover the responsibility for the control and protection of unarmed Johannesburg.